Phonograph



July 16, 1935. A. A. JOHNSON PHONOGRAPH Original Filed Jan. 2l, 1928 Patented July 16, 1935 PHONOGRAPH Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn., assigner to Dictaphone Corporation, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of New York Application January 21, 192s, serial No. 248,359 i Y Renewed September 29, 1934 15 Claims'. (ci. 274-21) This invention relates to dictating machines, and more particularly to carriage feeding and spacing means therefor.

An object of the present invention is to permit the carriage to be freely spaced in either direction longitudinally of the machine independently of the operation of the feed mechanism, while cooperating parts of the feed mechanism remain engaged.

Another object of the present invention is to so hold the feed-nut against rotation that the carriage will regularly feed under the influence 0f the feed-screw and to release the holding means incidental to and during the operation of forward or back-spacing the carriage.

A feature of the invention is the provision of means which automatically locks the stylus against free tracking movement and releases a rotatably mounted circular feed-nut incidental to the operation of back-spacing the carriage which operation is preferably accomplished by merely pushing against a lever or carriage handle.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of means which holds the stylus against free tracking movement during back-spacing and releases the circular feed-nut for free rotation, and allows the carriage to be freely spaced in either direction longitudinally of the record by the simple expedient of grasping parts on the carriage and pushing the carriage in the desired direction.

And yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the carriage feeding means is automatically made operative immediately after the operator stops spacing the carriage.

A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the operator may freely space the carriage a large extent by merely grasping and pushing the carriage or may freely back-space it a small and predetermined extent by manipulation of an auxiliary. lever.

These and other objects and advantages have been obtained by the present invention, according to the present preferred embodiment, by the provisionof a circular feed-nut or worm-wheel which is rotatably mounted directly on the carriage and is constantly in engagement with the feed-screw, the mounting of which is such that the feed-nut is normally held against rotation by friction but freely rotates and is freed of said friction either by movement of a carriage handle operable when it is desired to manually space the carriage in either direction longitudinally of the machine large extents or when a lever is operated to automatically back-space the carriage a small and predetermined extent.

Referring to the drawing- Figure 1 Is a side sectional view of the upper parts of a dictatlng machine and shows the pres- 5 entV invention as applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of parts of the dictating machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. top sectional view taken on line 3 3 in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the friction imparting spider made in accordance with the present invention.

The phonograph shown comprises the usual top plate III having formed integral therewith a housing II which forms a support for carriage rods I2 and I3 upon which a sound-box carriage I4 is adapted to travellongitudinally of the machine over the surface of a, record I5, mounted upon a record-support I6 which is fixed on a 20 shaft Il having a bearing or support in th housing portion It of the top plate.

Mounted in the carriage It is a sound-box I8 which, as usual, contains a diaphragm I9, a stylus mounted in a pivoted lever 2l supported by a 25 weighted carrier 22 mounted on a pivot rod 23 carried by a bracket 2t mounted on trunnions for movement ln a plane at right angles to the plane ofmovement of the carrier 22 on the pivot rod 23. The pivot rod 23 and trunnions 30 25 permit the stylus 2@ to have free vertical and lateral movement respectively relatively to the record within-limits of a, guide plate 25 on the sound-box confining a pin 2li fixed in the end of the carrier 22. In accommodating itself to records of various thicknesses and to inequalities in the record-surface, the stylus 2U with the carrier 22 moves up and down on the pivot 23, and for free tracking of the record moves horizontally about the trunnions 25. For the purpose of imparting sound impulses to the diaphragm I9 from the sound-waves on the record I5, the stylus lever 2l is connected to the diaphragm I9 by a wire 28. While an acoustical reproducing device is herein shown and described, lt should be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to this or any particular form of sound-box.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown, the carriage I4 and related sound-box I8 50 are caused to advance over the record-support I5 under the influence of a rotatable feed-screw 29 cooperating with parts on the carriage I4. This feed-screw 29 is caused to rotate coordinately with the record-support I6 by means of a. 55

gear train 30 as shown by dotted lines at the end of the housing portion Ii of the top plate. As usual. rotation of these cooperating parts is accomplished when a toothed clutch member 3l is brought into engagement with the toothed member 32, part of the rotating driving pulley I3. This form of feed-mechanism has been selected for the present embodiment of the invention because this feed-screw type has proven to be the` and is so arranged that it is always in engagement with the feed-screw 29. In order to cause the carriage to feed under the influence of the feed-screw 29, there is further provided means to normally hold the rotatably mounted circular feed-nut against rotation. This is accomplished, according to the present preferred embodiment 'of the invention, by normally frictionally holding the worm-wheel 34 against rotation by means of a spider 40 mounted on the circular feed-nut stud-shaft 35.

In the present invention, however, there is provided means to control the friction or braking action of the feed-nut 34 so that it is normally held against rotation but at predetermined times, as when it is desired to back-space the carriage, the friction is automatically relieved or entirely removed. This means, in the present preferred form, comprises a cam 4i xed to the lower end of a shaft 42 rotatable in a boss 43 on the carriage frame i4. This cam is so proportioned that when it is in its normal position (that shown in Fig. 2), it exerts a suilicient pressure against the spider 4G to cause the latter to hold the `.feed-nut against rotation and thus cause the carriage to feed under the influence ofthe feedscrew. The cam 4l passes through an aperture it in the stud shaft 35 and engages a at portion d5 on the spider 4l), which flat portion is preferably made integral with the spider and of such size as to nt snugly in the aperture to thus serve as an abutment for the cam and as a spline to vprevent rotation of the spider on the stud shaft.

When the cam is moved away from the at portien i5 of the spider, the latter relieves or en- 'tirely removes the braking or locking action on the feed-nut 34 so that the latter will allow free movement of the carriage.

By thus providing means whereby the spider may be rendered inoperative, it is possible to make the spider so stiff that when pressed hard against the feed-nut, all possible vdanger of the wormwheel slipping when it should not is avoided.` In fact, the parts may be so made as to constitute for all practical purposes a firm and rigid lock.

The cam iii is shaped with a gradual rise so that it can be used to apply a considerable pressure against the spider 40 when it ismoved to operative position. Further, because this cam has a gradual rise, it has at all times only spot contact in the center of the spider. The pressure or reaction of the spider exerts a straight line force against the cam toward the center of rotation of the cam; therefore, the spider cannot cause the cam to rotate.

When the cam 4I is moved to inoperative position, it at ilrst moves gradually out of pressure exerting relation to the spider 40 and it may be so shaped or proportioned as to relieve or entirely remove pressure against the spider when it is fully moved to inoperative position. While the cam is in inoperative position, it allows the feednut 34 Vto rotate; and keeps the feed-nut on the stud-shaft 35, for it is proportioned to prevent longitudinal movement of the nut thereon.

To move the cam 4I to operative or inoperative position, the present invention provides a carriage handle 46 on the upper end of the shaft 42. This handle is provided with a finger-piece 4l extending transversely to the travel of the carriage so that the operator need merely push against it in order to rotate the shaft 42 and related cam 4l to move the latter to inoperative'position and release the feed-nut for rotation.

This carriage handle 46 has a limited range of pivotal movement controlled by arms 48 and 49, either of which may engage the side of the carriage frame i4 dependent upon whether the cam 4| is moved to operative or inoperative position.

The cam 4i and rela-ted parts are normally rotated to the operative position (shown in Fig. 2)

by a spring B0, one end of which is fixed in the boss 43 and the other end engaging the side of the cam 4i, rotation being stopped by the arm portion 48 of the handle 45 engaging the side of the carriage. The spring thus obviates the necessity of the operator manually moving the handle 46 to operative position.

In using the machine, the operator frequently desires to repeat a considerable portion of the recording and consequently must back-space the carriage and related sound-box. This is accomplished, according to the present invention, by merely pushing against the finger-piece 41 and causing the shaft 42 and cam 4| to rotate against the pressure of the spring 50 until movement is stopped by the arm portion 49 of the handle 46 engaging the side of the carriage. The cam 4I is so proportioned that in this movement it will ride out of pressure exerting relation tov the spider 4I and will serve only to keep the spider 40 and circular feed-nut 34 on the studv shaft 35. This is a. very advantageous feature, for after the feednut is released and when the carriage handle is positioned as before stated with the arm. 49

against the carriage frame, further pushing against the carriage handle causes the carriage to freely move to any desired position longitudinally of the frame as there is no substantial braking action against the circular feed-nut, thus allowing it to rotate on the stud-shaft 35 and freely roll on the feed-screw 29 while the carriage is being back-spaced.

To recondition the machine for again advancing under the influence of the feed-screw after the carriage has been moved to the desired position, the carriage handle 4B and the cam 4I are merely released by the operator, when they will be automatically returned to operative position (that shown in Fig. 2) under the influence of the spring ll to again hold the circular feed-nut 34 against rotation.

While the above manner of operatingthe machine is extremely advantageous for back-spacing the carriage a large extent it is sometimes desired to back-space the carriage but a very small extent to verify the reproduction or transcription of only a small portion of the record. To facilitate this, dictating machines have heretofore been, and the machine of the present invention is,

provided with mechanism to back-space the car. riage small extents at each operation. The backspading mechanism selected for use with the present invention comprises a back-space lever 6I rotatably mounted on a tubular bearing l2 secured in the carriage I4 provided at its top por-l tion with a lug 53 pivotally carrying a pawl 64 which has a limited range of movement. This lever 5I is normally held in inoperative position (as seen in Figs. 1 and 2) by a spring 66 which is enclosed in a collar 66 suitably mounted upon the tubular bearing 52. When the back-space lever 6I is operated, the pawl 64 engages a rack 59 secured to suitable supports on the frame and forces the carriage I4 and related sound-box I8 backwardly a predetermined extent. To further back-space the carriage, the back-space lever 5I may be repeatedly operated. The back-spacing mechanism per se above described is of lusual form, such as is disclosed in the patent to Macdonald No. 1,030,740, June 25, 1912, excepting, however, that the depression of the back-space key 5I does not disengage. the feed-nutfrom the feed-screw nor does it raise the stylus from the record.

The present invention provides means 'associated with said back-spacing means comprising an arm 59 of the back-space lever 6I which, when the back-space lever is operated, engages the arm 49 of the carriage handle 46 to rotate the shaft 42 and related parts, to remove the pressure of the cam 4I from the spider 40 and circular feed-nut 34. Thus, it will be seen that the braking action against the feed-nut 34 is removed by operation of the back-space lever 5I in the same manner as when the carriage handle 46 is operated.

According to the present invention, should the operator desire to forward space the carriage I 4 and related sound-box I8 in order to reproduce a portion of the record which is yet to be transscribed, he need merely place his thumb on a back-space lever extension 60" and with other fingers of the same hand on the handle 46 as shown in Fig. 2, grasp and squeeze these parts together, thus rotating the carriage handle 46 until the arm 49 engages the side of the carriage frame and, in this rotation of the carriage handle, release the circular feed-nut, as hereinbefore described. Whenthese parts are so squeezed together, and the resultant action of removing friction from the feed-nut 34 has occurred, the operatorwillhave a firm hold on the carriage and can at will freely move the carriage forwardly any desired extent. If preferred, the operator can also use this method in back-spacing a considerable extent rather than to merely push against the finger-piece 41 as before described. Thus, it will be seen that, according to the present invention, the operator can at will and with cornparative freedom either forward or back-space the carriage a large extent by merely pushing the carriage tothe desired position or can back-space a short predetermined extent by separate operations, While the circular feed-nut 34 remains in cooperatingY engagement with the feed-screw 29 and rolls freely thereon.

While obtaining vthese advantages, the present invention retains the previously provided advantageou's means for holding the stylus against all lateral movement relative to the record during` each spacing operation, so that after spacing the stylus will be in the same position with relation to the sound box it as it had before the .spacing operation commenced. The means on the soundbox for accomplishing this, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the drawing. comprises a clamping arm 6I pivoted on the sound-box I9 and having a locking surface 62 normally adapted to be disengaged from a cooperating locking surface on an arm 64 constituting an integral part of the bracket 24 for the horizontal pivot of the carrier 22. 'I'he clamping arm 6I, when moved to operative position, engages the arm 84 on the bracket 24 to prevent its rotating movement and thus holds the carrier 22 and stylus `2II against lateral movement relative to the sound-box.

Means for operating the clamping arm 9i comprises an arm 66 pivotally mounted on the carriage frame I4 and having an operating face 66. adapted to engage a depending lug 61 on the clamping arm. 'I'he arm B5 is rocked by a spring l 66 connected to the arm 66 and connected at its other end to an ear 99 of a lever 'I0 fixed to a shaft 1Iy which extends through the carriage frame I4, and has fixed at its opposite end an arm 12 which is adapted to be operated'by either the back-space lever 6I or the carriage handle 48. This operation is accomplished by movement of the carriage handle 46 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2 when the arm 48 will move and cam up the bevel portion 13 of the arm 12, thus raising the end of this arm and rotating the shaft 1I, so that the ear portion 69 of the lever 10, which limits forward movement of the arm 66 and pulls the spring 68. rotates forwardly allowing further forward movement oi' the arm 65 and .tensions the spring 66 to pull the arm '66 against the clamping arm 6I to operate the latter and lock the stylus against movement. Likewise, when the back-space lever 5I is operated, the arm 69 engages the arm 49 to cause actuation ofthe arm 12 by the arm 48 and the same result is accomplished. Thus, it will be seen that upon operating either the carriage handle 46101- the back-space key 5I, the stylus '20 is held against lateral movement and friction is removed from the circular feed-nut. i

These parts are so proportioned and arranged that the stylus is locked against lateral movement relative to the sound-box I8 before the pawl 54 engages the rack 58 and before the arm 49 engages the carriage frame, so that the stylus 20 is locked against lateral movement relative to the sound-box before and during the spacing operation by either the back-space lever 5I or the carriage handle 40.

When the carriage has been moved tothe desired position and the carriage handle 46 or the lever 5I is released, the arm 48, under the influence of the shaft 42 and spring 50. moves forwardly to engage the carriage frame, and the lever 12 'drops downwardly by gravity to inoperative position a'nd moves the arm 65 out of operative position relative to the clamping arm 6 I, as shown in Fig. l. Thus it Will be seen that the stylus is iirst clamped against lateral movement and then later moved bodily with the carriage during the back-spacing operation, and that after the carriage handle 46 or back-spacelever 5I is released and the subsequent release oi the stylus clamping means occurs, the stylus 20 will be in the same position relative to the carriage that it was before the back-spacing operation commenced. Variations and modifications may b e made within the scope of this invention and portions oi the improvements may be used without others.

of movement for first decreasing the tension of.

said spring member and then serving as :a handle to move the carriage along the frame.

- -2. In adictating machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on the frame: a cooperating rotatable feed-nut on the carriage; means to normally hold the feed-nut against rotation; means to back-space the carriage a predetermined extent upon each operation thereof: and

. means operated as an incident tothe operation of said back-spacing means -to release the feednut holding means.

3. In a dictating machine. the combination of a frame: a carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on the frame; a cooperating rotatable feed-nut on the carriage; means to normally holdthe feed-nut against rotation; means to back-space the carriage a predetermined extent upon each operation thereof; and means operated as an incident to the operation ofsaid back-spacing means to release the feed-nut holding means and allow 'the carriage to be moved independently of the operation of the feedmechanism while the feed-screw and feed-nut remain in cooperating engagement.

4. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on theframe: a cooperating circular lfeed-nut rotatably mounted on the carriage; means associated with said circular feed-nut to normally hold it by resilient frictional contact against rotation so that the carriage will normally move under the influence of the feedscrew; a plvotally mounted f carriage handle adapted to be grasped by the operator when it is desired to move the carriage in either. direction longitudinally of the frame; and means operated by' said carriage handle to decrease the said resilient frictlonal contact of the circular feednut holding means and allow the feed-nut to Vroll on vthe feed-screw when the carriage is moved longitudinally of the frame by hand-engagement with said handle.

5. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame: a carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on the frame; a cooperating circular feed-nut on the -carriage; means comprising a tensioned spring member to normally hold the feed-nut against rotation; and means on` the carriage adapted to be grasped to move the carriage and incidentally to relieve the tension of said spring member so that said feednut may be free to rotate.

6. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage movable on the frame; a

carriage vdriving feed-screw on the trame: a cooperating circular feed-nut on the carriage; means comprising a tensioned spring member to normally hold the feed-nut against rotation; and a manually operable lever on the carriage which, when operated, relieves the spring tension of the feed-nut holding means.

7. In a dictating machine, a carriage; carriage driving means comprising a feed-screw and a cooperating circular feed-nut on the carriage: -means to frictionaily hold the feed-nut against rotation: means to back-space the carriage stepby-step at each operation thereof; and means operated by said back-spacing means to relieve the friction of said feed-nut holding means.

8. Ina dictating machine, a carriage; carriage driving means comprising a feed-screw and a cooperating circular feed-nut on the carriage; means to frictionally hold the feed-nut against rotation: means to back-space the carriage stepby-step at each operation thereof: and means operated by said back-spacing means to remove the friction of said feed-nut holding means.

9. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage movable on the frame; carriage driving means comprising a feed-screw on the framev and a circular feed-nut rotatably mounted on the carriage: a `spider to frictionally hold the feed-nut against rotation; and friction controlling means comprising a rotatable cam.

l0. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame: a carriage movable on the frame; carriage driving means comprising a feed-screw on the frame, a stud-shaft on the carriage and a circular feed-nut rotatably mounted on the stud-shaft; a spider to frictionally hold the feednut against rotation; and friction controlling means comprising a rotatable cam having a lim. ited range of rotating movement and proportioned to hold the feed-nut against rotation in one limit of cam movement and allow free rota4 tionof the feed-nut while retaining it onlne" stud-shaft in the other limit of cam movement. ll. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on the frame; a cooperating rotatable feed-nut on the carriage; means to normally hold the feed-nut against rotation; means to back-.space the carriage; and means operated as an incident to the operation of said back-spacing means to release the feednut holding means.

12. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame; a 'carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on the frame; a cooperating rotatable feed-nut on the carriage;

means to normally hold the feed-nut against rotation; a plvotally mounted carriage handle; means operated by the movement of said carriage handle to release the feed-nut holding means; and means to back-space the carriage which, when operated, actuates the carriage handle to release -the feed-nut holding means.

13. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame: a carriage movable on the frame; a carriage driving feed-screw on the frame; a 'cooperating rotatable feed-nut on the carriage; means to normally hold `the feed-nut against rotation; a plvotally mounted carriage handle; means to back-space the carriage; and means to release the feed-nut holding means operable incidental to the operation of either the carriage handle or the back-spacing means.

14. In a dictating machine, the combination of a frame, a carriage movable on the frame, a sound box on the carriage, a stylus mounted on the sound boxhaving a range of free lateral "movement, a feed screw rotatably mounted on the frame, a feed nut rotatably mounted on the carriage in cooperative engagement with said feed screw, means to condition the feed 'nut for or against rotation, means to hold the stylus against free lateral movement, means for con.

i A trolling the operation of said conditioning means,

d I erate in the drive o! the carriage and to permit the backspacing thereof' while said elements are in cooperation with each other, and means to backspace the carriage including means to put said friction means substantially out oi' action as an incident to the backspacing operation, when said backspacing means is operated, whereby said baci'xspacing means may be operated' substantially Ffree from resistance by said friction means and without disturbing the interrelationl0 snip ot said elements.

THUR. A. JCOHNSONa 

